ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Fifty-seventh Legislature

First Regular Session

Senate: RAGE DPA/SE 6-0-1-0 | 3rd Read 19-8-3-0

SB 1395: requirements; international medical graduates

Sponsor: Senator Shope, LD 16

Committee on Health & Human Services

Overview

Requires graduates from an unapproved school of medicine who apply to the Arizona Medical Board (AMB) for licensure as a physician to be enrolled in, rather than successfully complete, an additional approved 24 months of hospital internships, residency or clinical fellowship program.

History

The AMB's primary duty is to protect the public from unlawful, incompetent, unqualified, impaired or unprofessional practitioners of allopathic medicine through licensure, regulation and rehabilitation of the profession in this state.

Applicants pursuing a license to practice medicine in Arizona must: 1) graduate from an approved school of medicine or receive a medical education of equivalent quality; 2) successfully complete an approved 12-month hospital internship, residency or clinical fellowship program; 3) have a professional record that indicates no actions of conduct that would constitute grounds for disciplinary action, including not having a license revoked and not being currently under investigation, suspensions or restriction; 4) submit various forms of document verification to the AMB, such as licensure from every state the applicant has ever held a medical license and a full set of fingerprints for obtaining a state and federal criminal records check; and 5) pass steps one, two and three of the U.S. medical licensing examination (A.R.S. §§ 32-1422 and 32-1425).

In addition to the basic requirements for licensure, any applicant who has graduated from an unapproved school of medicine must meet each of the following requirements: 1) be able to read, write, speak, understand and be understood in the English language; 2) hold a standard certificate issued by the Educational Council for Foreign Medical Graduates, complete a fifth pathway program or complete 36 months as a full-time assistant professor or in a higher position in an approved school of medicine; and 3) successfully complete an approved 24-month hospital internship, residency or clinical fellowship program, in addition to the 12 months statutorily required, for a total of 36 months of training unless the applicant successfully completed a fifth pathway program or has served as a full-time assistant professor or in a higher position in an approved school of medicine for a total of 36 months (A.R.S. § 32-1423).

Provisions

1. Specifies that a graduate from an unapproved school of medicine wishing to apply to the AMB for licensure as a physician to be enrolled in, rather than successfully complete, an approved 24-month hospital internship, residency or clinical fellowship program, unless otherwise specified. (Sec. 1)

2. Makes a technical change. (Sec. 1)

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6. SB 1395

7. Initials AG/BG Page 0 Health & Human Services

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